I may have got the wrong end of the stick here (not unusual some may argue!!) but is IMAP simply a way of leaving mail on a server until you pick it up from home/office or wherever? Judging by the fuzz everyone is making it is more than that. Whjat are the plus points and how does it work?

That may be one way of looking at it, but in reality the IMAP protocols are way more complex than POP3 and cover the whole mailbox management system.

POP3 is simply a drop-and-collect system for messages - with the option to delete them on collection. One folder.

SMTP is simply a sending relay system - you send it to the next server which sends it to the next server. Messages are stored by the system that sent them (generally).

IMAP however allows your client to manage the messages stored on the server, read them, send messages - at which point they *should* appear in the Sent items folder on the server, move messages between folders, create folders. So when you look at them from place A you see the same folders and messages as when you look at them from place B - because the messages are stored on the server.

I'm not suggesting that PocoMail will fully integrate with GMail's IMAP facility - regular posters will be aware of the discussions that have been on-going around this subject and I don't propose to re-open it (although some might argue that I have).

The Internet Message Access Protocol, Version 4rev1 (IMAP4rev1) allows a client to access and manipulate electronic mail messages on a server. IMAP4rev1 permits manipulation of mailboxes (remote message folders) in a way that is functionally equivalent to local folders. IMAP4rev1 also provides the capability for an offline client to resynchronize with the server.

IMAP4rev1 includes operations for creating, deleting, and renaming mailboxes, checking for new messages, permanently removing messages, setting and clearing flags, RFC 2822 and RFC 2045 parsing, searching, and selective fetching of message attributes, texts, and portions thereof. Messages in IMAP4rev1 are accessed by the use of numbers.

So to answer your question, no, IMAP is not "simply a way of leaving mail on a server until you pick it up from home/office or wherever".

Thanks for the explanation, I think I will apporach IMAP with a wary mind and slow step

Kevin,

Once you get used to using IMAP, you don't want to have anything to do with POP. At least, that is my opinion. There is a lot of email software available, but most don't even attempt to handle IMAP. Pocomail/Barca offer IMAP capabilities, but, those capabilities are in their infancy and require a lot of work before Pocomail and Barca can be considered serious IMAP capable software. I'm hoping the next major upgrade to Pocomail/Barca includes some significant IMAP improvements. The software is among the best avaiable, but neither is totally useable for someone who wants to utilize IMAP.

I just looked and how about that! Forwarding and POP is now Forwarding and POP/IMAP. Interestingly enough I set up an Gmail IMAP account in PocoMail and did a simple Check, it worked even though I forgot to Enable IMAP in Gmail. As expected, Online Folders did not work until I Enabled IMAP in Gmail.

I have three accounts (now counting GMail) that support IMAP. One of those only supports IMAP (or web interface). PocoMail's IMAP (using Online Folders) capability is sufficient enough for me. I don't create new folders or move messages around via IMAP. Only thing I do is view or delete.

I don't really use IMAP much anyway. my normal mode of operation is using Check to download my messages and delete them from the server. This way I can take advantage of PocoMail's filtering, junk mail filters and scripting to handle my messages.

One thing I noticed is Gmail's IMAP, like POP it operates by Gmail's rules not RFC rules.

For example with POP, with Leave on Server unchecked messages are supposed to be deleted from the server after downloading. Gmail does not honor the DELE command. To get the same effect you have to go in to Gmail's setting and set When messages are accessed with POP to delete Gmail's copy

With IMAP when deleting messages using Online Folders they are only removed from Gmail's Inbox (Archived), so they will appear in All Mail. The are not moved to the Trash. This also happens when doing a PocoMail Check using the IMAP account with Leave on Server unchecked. When deleting messages from All Mail they are removed from PocoMail's All Mail but not Gmail's All Mail.

One BIG advantage I see for Gmail's IMAP is now I can check Gmail's Spam folder without having to use the Web Interface. Previously I was checking Spam at least every 30 days for valid messages since there is no way to adjust Gmail's Spam filters.

Of course we all understand that Google really have only one aim - advertise to you as much as possible - therefore it's no real surprise that they'll retain as much information as possible!

That's the truth as it says in Google's Trash folder when empty, "No conversations in the Trash. Who needs to delete when you have over 2000 MB of storage?!" or in All Mail "You don't have any mail! Our servers are feeling unloved."

"There has been no real improvement in the handling of IMAP. Sent email still gets stored locally. You cannot filter on IMAP folders. The only "improvement" that was made is that you can now have six folders online at one time instead of three. Of course if you have 22 IMAP folders as I do, having only 6 online at a time is still a joke. "

"There has been no real improvement in the handling of IMAP. Sent email still gets stored locally. You cannot filter on IMAP folders. The only "improvement" that was made is that you can now have six folders online at one time instead of three. Of course if you have 22 IMAP folders as I do, having only 6 online at a time is still a joke. "

Of course if you have 22 IMAP folders as I do, having only 6 online at a time is still a joke.

I think that's just showing off

I now have IMAP enabled after returning from UK English to US English (maybe Gmail only likes its folders in gray not grey or other colours - sorry colors ) and I have configured my desktop and PDA email clients and I await to see how this will revolutionise my life.

Of course if you have 22 IMAP folders as I do, having only 6 online at a time is still a joke.

I think that's just showing off

I now have IMAP enabled after returning from UK English to US English (maybe Gmail only likes its folders in gray not grey or other colours - sorry colors ) and I have configured my desktop and PDA email clients and I await to see how this will revolutionise my life.